I've just finished playing Nvidia's Vault 1080 mod Note: I played it with another mod that makes it more lore-friendly by changing all the 1080 references to simply 80. Also note: I played it with my GeForce 980. Anyway, it's not a bad little mod at all: Nvidia created a creepy vault inside a spooky church, and did a nice job with the set dressing and monster placement. There are some legit scares down there.
Obviously, the real reason for the mod is for Nvidia to show off its indoor god rays, and that it does. The mod team really didn't up a single opportunity to shine their tech into your eyes, and as a result there's a certain lack of subtlety to the affair. I've collected images of some of the light placements to judge the logical ones and the times they went a little too far in showing off their tech.
Behind the Vault door
Okay, I easily give them this one. Entering a vault, even a vault modded in by a graphics card manufacturer, is a cool and intimidating moment, and the rays shining from within the massive broken door are entirely suitable and logical. It looks cool.
Subtlety Rating: 9 (, we're ranking subtlety, so the higher the number, the more subtle it is.)
Behind a bunch of hanging cables
I feel this is fair. Vault 80 (I'm using the lore-friendly name) has been the site of a pillaging attempt by raiders. Raiders are dumb and greedy, and would probably yank a bunch of cables out of the walls like the stupid brutes they are. Some of those cables might wind up hanging in front of a light. I could see that happening.
Subtlety rating: 8
From under a metal catwalk
Safety-wise, I'm not sure this is a great idea. When people are walking around in the dark on a raised metal platform, they'll be looking down to insure they don't fall off and plunge to their death. It's probably not a great idea to shine a bright light through the floor directly into their eyes, even if you want to impress them with how awesome the light looks.
Subtlety rating: 4
Through a bunch of beds
People read in bed. I certainly do. And that's not all I do in bed, if you know what I mean! What I mean is, I also morosely contemplate my inevitable death on a nightly basis. And whether reading or fearing the fast-approaching eternal void, I do like to have a light on. A light next to a bed makes sense. A single light, mounted at floor-level, for two bunk beds, though? No one can read like that.
Subtlety rating: 4
Through an empty crib
Night-lights are important for babies who are afraid of the dark, but shining a high-grade construction site quality dual halogen worklight directly through the crib will probably mess up the poor tot's REM sleep. I daresay someone is trying to show off.
Subtlety rating: 2
Up a dead raider's butt
I'm fine with this.
Subtlety rating: 8
Through a goddamn wheelchair
Are wheelchair s sick of seeing wheelchairs used as horror props? I have to assume they must be. Why is a wheelchair considered scary? It's just a device for getting around. If you see an empty car parked somewhere you don't consider it scary or every trip through a parking lot would turn into The Blair Witch Project. What does an empty wheelchair signify? That someone or something got out of the wheelchair and walked away? Even if that something was a monster, it should be a cause for celebration.
What was I talking about? Oh, yeah. Not subtle.
Subtlety rating: 0
Through a slowly rotating desk fan on the floor
I'm torn with this one. It's not even remotely subtle, casting a light through a rotating fan at floor level so it casts moving rays and shadows. But it's still cool and looks really nice. Alas, I'm rating subtlety and not nice-fan-ness. My hands are tied.
Subtlety rating: 2
Through a louvered window, but hey wait a second
This one seems just fine. A desk lamp has been knocked over and is shining through a louvered office window and into a hallway. That's perfectly subtle and great. But if you look really closely, you'll notice the light isn't even technically on. The bulb is dark, yet is still emitting the Rays of God. It's a miracle! Just not a subtle one.
Subtlety rating: 2
Through one of these things
It's better than shining a light directly through a crib, anyway.
Subtlety rating: 6
Through a ribcage balanced against a skull
Okay. Come on. Come on, now.
Really.
Subtlety rating: -14
Through everything all the time, everywhere
At this point even God is like, "Enough with My rays, Nvidia. We get it. Everyone gets it."
Subtlety rating: 1
